RE: Detecting design or intent in nature
January 11, 2015 at 2:29 pm
(This post was last modified: January 11, 2015 at 2:36 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
Point out where, dick. Meanwhile, because it's a subject of interest for me and I have occasion to elaborate (not that I haven't a few times before....but this time I got off my lazy ass)- here's what I'm always harping on about when I refer to condition:
A ship sinks off the coast of your town. There is a report in the paper the next day. What logical statements can we make about this, and how might they help us to understand the importance of necessary and sufficient conditions?
If [shipwreck] then [report in the paper]
[report in the paper]
therefore [shipwreck]
If not [report in the paper] then not [shipwreck]
not [report in paper]
therefore not [shipwreck]
Notice the implications for causality when we express the mp-mt transition on this statement. In the first, it implies that the shipwreck was the casual agent for a report in the paper, which generally conforms to our experience of how these things figure temporally and with reference to cause. In the second, it implies that the lack of a report in the paper was a causal agent for the lack of a shipwreck. Which -does not- conform to our experience of how these things figure temporally or with reference to cause. So what gives, why has this happened? Both are valid, if the statements are true (which we're assuming they are for the sake of convenience but also because they can be and often are in our experience) the argument must be sound in both cases...but do reports in the paper cause ships to wreck?
Kind of interesting to ponder, imo.
Now back to you Mason. I'm trying to -help you- form a good argument for nature lacking purpose. I'm not sure what you think I'm trying to do, other than this.
A ship sinks off the coast of your town. There is a report in the paper the next day. What logical statements can we make about this, and how might they help us to understand the importance of necessary and sufficient conditions?
If [shipwreck] then [report in the paper]
[report in the paper]
therefore [shipwreck]
If not [report in the paper] then not [shipwreck]
not [report in paper]
therefore not [shipwreck]
Notice the implications for causality when we express the mp-mt transition on this statement. In the first, it implies that the shipwreck was the casual agent for a report in the paper, which generally conforms to our experience of how these things figure temporally and with reference to cause. In the second, it implies that the lack of a report in the paper was a causal agent for the lack of a shipwreck. Which -does not- conform to our experience of how these things figure temporally or with reference to cause. So what gives, why has this happened? Both are valid, if the statements are true (which we're assuming they are for the sake of convenience but also because they can be and often are in our experience) the argument must be sound in both cases...but do reports in the paper cause ships to wreck?
Kind of interesting to ponder, imo.
Now back to you Mason. I'm trying to -help you- form a good argument for nature lacking purpose. I'm not sure what you think I'm trying to do, other than this.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
